Terroir [Hardcover]

James E Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 1998

The author, a leading geologist, explains how the environment directly influences how each wine tastes and develops. The interplay of geology, soil, climate and culture of the vines are examined in this book, and how these various factors combine in creating wine.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An exceptionally informative book." -- Adventures in Dining

"An...important reference work." -- Food & Wine magazine

"Fascinating.Taken in sips, like a fine, dense Bordeaux, it's a book worthy of long contemplation." -- Wine & Spirits magazine

"The first English-language book on the topic, TERROIR offers a detailed look at the physical endowments of France's wine-producing regions." -- New York Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

James E. Wilson is a former Vice President for Exploration and Production at Shell Oil. In his second career he has devoted himself to the study of the natural history and underlying geology of French wines. He lives in Colorado. Hugh Johnson writes the annual best-seller, Pocket Wine Book and is also author of World Atlas of Wine, now in its fourth edition. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Mitchell Beazley (September 17, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1840000333
• ISBN-13: 978-1840000337
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,925,722 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A true classic for the vinophile, April 25, 2000

By 

Steven Charnick "a solo cello outside a chorus" (Ocean, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Terroir: The Role of Geology, Climate, and Culture in the Making of French Wines (Hardcover)

If you feel that the idea of "Terroir", i.e., that the land influences the wine in such a way that it can be distinguished by taste, is foolish, read this book. The best familiar case to Americans would be Diamond Creek Vineyards. In just one small valley with four distinct microclimates, four completely different Cabernet Sauvignons result. Although the French believe this more than most Americans, that view is beginning to change - i.e., a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is noticeably different than an Oregon Pinot Noir.

This book will convince you. Terroir is real, not simply something an aesthete would appreciate.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A geologist's opinion, May 18, 2000

By 

"doctor_rock" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Terroir: The Role of Geology, Climate, and Culture in the Making of French Wines (Hardcover)

I guess I was already a believer when I ordered the book, but reading it has confirmed my suspicions that terroir is a very real contributor to what makes a good vineyard capable of producing a great wine. Wilson idolizes the vigneron, and in many ways the human touch is a part of terroir, as much as the soil profile, the microclimate etc.

The graphics and sidebars in this book are superb. As a practising geologist I appreciate the details but feel confident that a layman will find the book just as interesting and informative. Wilson has a sense of purpose, a sense of humor and a sense of history which all in all provide for a good read.

He has inspired me to make a study of the terroirs of Texas viticulture but I doubt if the results would ever be published in such a fine form as this book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good geology, not a good title, March 6, 2001

By 

D. Tesic (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Terroir: The Role of Geology, Climate, and Culture in the Making of French Wines (Hardcover)

With a great anticipation I bought this book at the time when I was doing my PhD on terroir. To some extent, the book was a disappointment. Geology really represents only one element of terroir. Scientific evidence that would relate parent rock composition / structure to wine quality is non-existent. It is, as lawyers would say, circumstantial, not direct evidence. The role that soil type and local climate, as well as vineyard management and winemaking practices play in shaping up terroir is greatly undermined in this book. The impressive work on terroir done at INRA (the National Institute of Agronomic Research) in France by Barbeau, Asselin, Morlat and others is basically ignored. These scientists (as well as my own research) have found that physical properties of soil and subsoil, as well as local climate, are the most important factors defining terroir. However, this book does have excellent maps and a wealth of geological and regional information - so it is worth every penny on that account only. The only problem is that, in my opinion, the title is wrong. "Geology of the French vineyards", or something similar, would describe the book's content much more precisely.